2008 Entry

The School of Nursing's self-managed undergraduate application process places the responsibility on the applicant to collect and return all supporting credentials (including all transcripts and references) in the same envelope with the application. In this way, you can be assured that your application and all supporting credentials will be received together and that your application is complete. You will be notified of the receipt and status of your application via e-mail, therefore, please provide a valid e-mail address on your application for School of Nursing correspondence.  Please make sure it stays active at least one year from the date you apply as we will use it to communicate with you throughout the application process.

Application Deadlines

Applications received or that become complete after the due date will be considered if space is available and there is sufficient time for processing, review and notification. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application packet at least 1 month prior to the stated due date to allow the Undergraduate Admissions Office ample time to process and forward to the School of Nursing .

²To be eligible for Early Decision as a sophomore, the applicant must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.4, SATs of 1100 on the critical reading and math sections only at one sitting and completed a minimum of 30 semester hours prior to applying Early Decision - November 1.

³Applicants will be notified by the stated date if the entire application packet is received complete by the application due date.  Applicants whose applications are received or that are complete after the application due date will be notified of their admission decision as soon as one is made.

Entry Levels

Freshman - Students applying to the School of Nursing as freshmen follow the university freshman admission guidelines and must have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 and either minimum SATs of 1050 (on the critical reading and math sections) or ACTs of 23 for consideration.  Applicants who do not meet the GPA and/or SAT requirement should apply to the College of Humanities and Sciences as pre-nursing majors and apply to the School of Nursing at a later time under Sophomore entry.  Admission as a freshman is competitive - the average high school GPA for those admitted to the fall 2007 class was 3.71 and the average SAT was 1158.

Sophomore - The School of Nursing welcomes qualified applicants from within the University or other colleges and universities.  Students will follow the university admission guidelines for transfer students with the exception of standardized test requirement.  All applicants for Sophomore entry, regardless of age, are required to submit test scores.  Acceptable standardized tests are the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), American College Test (ACT), or Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  Applicants must present a minimum cumulative college GPA of 2.5 and SAT of 830 on the critical reading and math sections (with neither score below 400) for consideration.  Applicants with a cumulative college GPA and/or SAT below the requirement will not be reviewed.  A grade of "D" in any required course is not acceptable.  Due to the competitive nature of this program, successful applicants present much higher credentials for admission.   The average college GPA for those admitted fall 2007 was 3.55 and the average SAT was 1082.

RN-BS Weekend Program - Applicants who have or will have R.N. licensure prior to enrollment may apply to the RN-BS Weekend Program.  Computation of the GPA is based on prerequisite and support courses only.  A grade of "D" in any required course is not acceptable.  Applicants must present a minimum academic GPA of 2.5 or higher for consideration. 

Accelerated Bachelor of Science Program - Applicants with a bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing may apply to this full-time, 5 semester program.  All applicants for Accelerated BS entry, regardless of age, are required to submit test scores.  Acceptable standardized tests are:

• Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)
  • SAT of 830 on the critical reading and math sections only (neither score below 400)
• American College Test (ACT)
  • composite score of 17
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
  • GREs of 830 (neither GRE Verbal or Quantitative Score below 400)

Applicants must present a minimum cumulative college GPA of 2.5.  Applicants with a cumulative college GPA and/or SAT below the requirement will not be reviewed.  A grade of "D" in any required course is not acceptable. 

Due to the competitive nature of this program, successful applicants present much higher credentials for admission. The average college GPA for those admitted summer 2007 was 3.36 and the average SAT was 1194.

Application Procedures

Applicants are required to submit the following items by the deadlines stated above:

1. Application for undergraduate admission [pdf¹] (application should be printed out and mailed in together with the the materials referenced below)
2. $30 application fee
3. High school transcript (only required for freshman applicants)
4. Official SAT, ACT or GRE scores (not required of RN-BS applicants)
5. Personal statement
6. 3 References [pdf¹]
7. Official college transcripts
8. Prerequisite Course Completion Form (not required of freshman applicants)
9. Resumé (required for Accelerated Bachelor's and RN-BS applicants)

¹ [pdf] - These files are in Adobe Acrobat portable document format. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required and available to download for free.

If you get an error message "Error reading linearized hint data" try this solution:

From Acrobat - select Edit -> Preferences -> General. Click on Options. Disable the entry: "Allow fast web view". Save the changes and reopen the web browser. Now the PDF should display.

High School Transcripts

Official high school transcripts are only required of freshman applicants. Sophomore and RN-BS Weekend Program applicants may choose to send a high school transcript to confirm completion of high school chemistry.

Standardized Test Scores

Official SAT, ACT or GRE scores are required for all applicants to the Traditional and Accelerated BS programs.  Scores may be submitted directly from your high school (you must specifically ask for this since many high schools do not automatically submit test scores as part of the high school record), the College Board (http://www.collegeboard.com/), ACT (http://www.act.org/) or Educational Testing Service (http://www.ets.org/).  Registered nurses applying for the R.N. completion program are not required to submit SATI, ACT or GRE scores but should submit a copy of their R.N. licensure.   

Personal Statement

Please write a one to two page essay entitled "Education and Life: A Personal Statement." Include the following:

• your career goals and how the undergraduate program for which you are applying would help to meet those goals,
• prior work/life experiences which relate to your interest in, and aptitude for, the undergraduate program for which you are applying,
• your perception of your intellectual capability to complete successfully your undergraduate studies,
• information about academic honors or professional awards you have received, including scholarships, fellowships, prizes, honorary society memberships, publications, inventions or other creative work.

Click here for additional tips on writing a successful personal statement.

References

Three letters of reference are required for each program for which you apply. Section 1 of each reference form is to be completed by the applicant. Provide a reference form and self-addressed, stamped envelope to each person preparing a reference. Instruct each to enclose the completed reference in the envelope. The envelope should be sealed, signed across the seal and returned to you. Do not break the seal. Note that if you sign the waiver of your rights to inspect the reference, the contents of the reference will not be released to you or to any party other than the department admissions committee.

College Transcripts

Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended are required including coursework taken as high school dual enrollment credit, non-degree seeking credit, or coursework taken and transferred to another institution.  (HINT:  You are strongly encouraged to have an additional copy of each school's transcripts sent to you to open.  Review the transcripts carefully to see if transfer credit appears on the transcript.  If so, request copies of those transcripts as well for inclusion in your application packet.)  Contents of transcript envelopes which have been opened are considered unofficial and will be disqualified.

Current VCU students must present transcripts from all schools attended, even if the coursework appears in transfer on the VCU transcript.  Applicants may request transcripts directly from the originating institutions or, before December 15^th, from the Academic Advising Office in the College of Humanities and Sciences.  Failure to request the transcripts from the College of Humanities and Sciences by December 15^th may result in your application being considered late.  In all instances, the transcripts must be placed in sealed envelopes, signed across the seal by a college official, and returned to you.  Do not submit transcripts separately from your application.

Prerequisite Course Completion Form

Required of all applicants, you must complete the appropriate form as part of the application packet. Indicate on the form what courses have or will be taken to fulfill each prerequisite area, when it was or will be completed, and where it was or will be taken.

• Traditional BS Prerequisite Course Completion Form
• RN-BS Weekend Program Course Completion Form
• Accelerated Bachelor of Science Course Completion Form

Resumé

All applicants to the Accelerated Bachelor's and RN-BS programs must include a resume with the application including the following information:

1. Academic history (including high school)
2. All jobs of one year or more or that show a special skill you possess
3. All licenses and certifications
4. All honors, awards and special accomplishments
5. All publications
6. Skills, talents, foreign language proficiencies
7. Goals - immediately following graduation and long-term

NOTE:  All applicants must review the School of Nursing's policy on Technical Standards for Nursing Education (policy 5.1.7 in the School of Nursing Policy and Information Handbook).  Additionally, applicants convicted of a felony may not be eligible for clinical placement in many health care settings.

Application Submission

Please check all documentation for accuracy. Be sure that you have signed all forms where required and that you have made copies of all documentation. Place your application, $30 application fee, and all supporting documentation in one large envelope. On the front of the envelope, in the upper left-hand corner, print your name, return address and the curriculum and semester of entry for which you are applying. Please be sure to affix sufficient postage and mail to:

Virginia Commonwealth University
Office of Undergraduate Admission
PO Box 980632
Richmond , Virginia 23298-0632

If you would like to hand deliver your application, the physical address is:

Sanger Hall 
1101 East Marshall Street
Room 1-042 (First Floor)

Checklist

Use the following checklist to ensure that your application packet is complete:

• Application for undergraduate admission [pdf¹] (application should be printed out and mailed in together with the materials referenced below)
• $30 application fee (not required of current VCU students)
• High school transcript (only required for freshman applicants)
• Official SAT, ACT or GRE scores (not required of RN-BS applicants)
• Personal statement
• 3 References [pdf¹]
• Official college transcripts
•  Prerequisite Course Completion Form (not required of freshman applicants)
• Resumé (required for Accelerated Bachelor's and RN-BS applicants)